It is
Catalina's largest terrestrial predator
. In late 1999, an outbreak of distemper virus caused the fox population to plummet from about 1,300 to just 100 animals. … That year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Catalina Island fox as a federally endangered species. Today, monitoring continues.
Why is the island fox important?
As golden eagles began nesting on the islands and their numbers increased, they also began hunting island foxes. At only four pounds, the foxes are
the largest native land animals on the islands
and play vital roles in the plant and animal communities, such as dispersing seeds of shrubs that are unique to the islands.
How did foxes get on Catalina island?
There are differing theories about how the fox came to be on the Island. One theory is that they came from
the mainland by floating across the channel on logs or other debris
, often during stormy conditions. Another theory is that fox may have been brought to Catalina by the first people to inhabit the Island.
What do Catalina island fox eat?
Diet: Catalina Island foxes, known to science as Urocyon littoralis catalinae, are opportunistic omnivores that eat
animals, insects and plants
.
Why is the island fox considered an endemic species?
The island fox only lives on six of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of southern California–they are
found nowhere else on Earth
. Each island population is recognized as a separate endemic or unique subspecies. … In 2004, each of the park's island fox subspecies were federally listed as endangered.
Do island foxes eat fish?
The island fox eats
fruits
, insects, birds, eggs, crabs, lizards, and small mammals, including deer mice.
How long do island foxes live?
LIFE CYCLE: Island foxes reach sexual maturity at 10 months, and females usually breed within the first year. These foxes can live for up to 10 years in the wild, but
four to six years is more typical
.
Do foxes eat frogs?
Foxes are
omnivores
and eat small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, eggs, insects, worms, fish, crabs, mollusks, fruits, berries, vegetables, seeds, fungi and carrion. In winter they mainly eat mammals, such as mice, rabbits and other small animals. … In spring they will fill up on birds' eggs and earthworms.
How many foxes are on Catalina Island?
As of the end of 2020, Conservancy scientists estimate there are
over 1,800 foxes
on Catalina. Every fox counts because the animal remains threatened.
Which Channel Island has the most foxes?
The foxes living on
Santa Catalina Island
are the largest in size and foxes on Santa Cruz Island are the smallest. Although small in size, the Channel Island fox has no natural predators and they live on a diverse diet of fruits, birds, lizards, and other small animals.
Can Island foxes climb trees?
The island fox and its mainland cousin the gray fox are
the only fox species capable of climbing trees
. … Unlike the gray fox, which is primarily a nocturnal hunter, the island fox is active both day and night and can be readily observed foraging for lizards, insects, and fruit that comprise a large portion of its diet.
Why is the Catalina island fox endangered?
POPULATION TREND: The island fox declined catastrophically from the mid-1990s to the end of the century, but due
to captive breeding, relocation of golden eagles, and reintroduction of bald eagles
, the populations of its subspecies have since grown.
What factors affect the island fox population?
Predation by golden eagles
was the primary mortality factor for foxes on the northern Channel Islands, but there were other threats as well. Introduced diseases or parasites could conceivably devastate island fox populations.
What can be done to help the island fox population increase?
- The Captive Breeding Program. …
- Reintroduction of the Bald Eagle. …
- Encouraging Native Plants.
What is being done to save the island fox?
A dramatic recovery
In 2000, the Conservancy and partners began bringing 20 foxes into captivity to
protect them from predation and increase their numbers in a captive-breeding facility designed to mimic their natural environment
. After six seasons, 85 pups were produced by the program and released into the wild.
